SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Madi Malone and Ari Miller combined for 44 kills, but the Milwaukee volleyball team fell just short to Notre Dame 3-2 at the Irish Invitational on Sunday afternoon.
 
"We played so well. Losing is not what anyone wants, but it was a great fighting match," head coach Susie Johnson said. "Madi and Ari were extremely great offensively and we made a big turnaround. I thought it was major progress for our team."
 
Offense was on fire in the first set as the Panthers hit .514 in the frame behind 14 combined kills from Miller and Malone.
 
MKE (0-3) trailed late but rattled off four straight points with kills from Miller, Malone, and Czhen Beneby to earn a 25-22 set one victory.
 
After stalling some in the second, the Panthers' offense got back on track in the third, hitting .412 with 18 kills. It was a battle back-and-forth, but a pair of Notre Dame kills ended it 25-23 and put the Irish in front.
 
Malone helped the Panthers respond in the fourth as she put away eight kills in the frame. It was another tight set, but Malone slammed home a kill and Natalie Schmitz recorded a big block to end the set and force a fifth.
 
Notre Dame's Maisie Alexander helped the home team take control in the fifth as she served eight straight points including a pair of aces.
 
Milwaukee slowly climbed back, however, as Malone put away two kills and added a block to cut the deficit to two.
 
The Panthers battled to the wire, but a Notre Dame (1-2) kill gave the Irish a 15-13 victory.
 
Malone finished with her first double-double of the season, posting a season-high 26 kills and 10 digs.
 
Miller hit .351 with 18 kills and added five blocks.
 
Kaley Blake also had a double-double as she totaled 33 assists and 12 digs.
 
The Panthers will next head to West Lafayette for the Purdue Reamer Club Xtra Special hosted by Purdue beginning on Friday, September 2.
 
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